In his year-end Dharma message, Rev. Umitani asked us to express gratitude for the past year and reflect on the interdependency on all life and all the things that have made it possible for one to live through the year. The saying, ichinichi senkin (一日千金), "every day is worth a thousand pieces of gold," reminds us that each and every day holds great meaning for our lives and we must live it wisely and meaningfully.

After the service, we rang the kansho (temple bell) to celebrate the end of the year. Jyo-ya no Kane (除夜の鐘) is the Japanese tradition of ringing the temple bell 108 times on New Year's Eve. Watch the video and see if we came close (we weren't counting!). After ringing the bell, we enjoyed soba noodles, also a year-end tradition.

The year-end service also marked the conclusion of Rev. Umitani's assignment as Kailua's interim minister. Mahalo Rev. Umitani and family for being a part of our temple in 2017!